cover image Something Better for My Children: The History and People of Head Start

Something Better for My Children: The History and People of Head Start

Kay Mills. Dutton Books, $27.95 (384pp) ISBN 978-0-525-94328-0

Head Start was established in 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson as part of his War on Poverty, which, according to Mills (This Little Light of Mine: The Life of Fannie Lou Hamer), ""turned out to be a skirmish in what should have been a lifelong, countrywide crusade but never was."" Designed as a development program for preschoolers, Head Start has the mission to prepare poor children for elementary school by teaching them skills and providing access to basic health-care services. Mills visited several thriving Head Start centers, including one on a Montana Indian reservation and another that assists children of California migrant workers. And for a school year, she tracked the children's progress at the Head Start Center in Watts Tower, Los Angeles. In addition to recounting success stories of the youngsters she observed, Mills draws on studies to provide a history of the effectiveness of the 30-year program and points out areas that need improvement, such as better teacher training and more parental involvement. This comprehensive study is objective and carefully researched. (Apr.)